Training Log Archive: Kitch

chillin' at home

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Fianl Stage
Longer (just) but not as hilly as Yesterday, plus its the last day.
I head out with Chris, the fast bunch and plenty of pain killers, reasoning that given the forecast headwinds ( theres been basically no wind and all sunshine so far this week) the best place is to be in a good bunch of riders. They are all strong but don't know the subtleties of drafting and echelons, never mind its a north-westerly so coming from the left which means they can all ride on the left and I have plenty of room to shelter. On some narrow farm lanes gaps open because of the shitty surface (literally and metaphorically) on a 90 degree bend I use cornering speed to close a gap in front and the guy behind me goes down - oops, too fast. On the climb up from Moffat to the Beeftub, Chris put himself on the front and just churns it out, dragging the whole bunch up, an awesome pull. It is overcast and cool and down to Tweedsmuir, sitting in line I get cold and have to go and put in 10 minutes on the front to warm up. Broughton, Biggar, pit stop and its the final leg. The wind is strong and either head or cross. One of the guys is riding really stongly so to be helpfull he goes to the front but in a cross wind everyone has to work just as hard so he is killing us. I get him to back off but its too late for one guy who has popped. Then, above West calder, we turn down wind and its all cruising at 40kpm and we are soon finished.
A teriffic route
A terriffic week - ride up the country with full logistical support, catering and accommodation, great way to earn a living.

C • Solid week's training there. 4

Day 4.
The Queen Stage
I started plum last by 5 minutes today, just getting my shit together.
Fucking Hell !
within a couple of minutes of starting it was apparent that even sitting in the saddle was going to be a problem, never mind pedalling in the saddle. By the end of Tuesday I had developed a saddle sore . Yesterday I think it was a bit uncomfortable but I guess I must have shifted my weight off it and carried on. Today though, having done the weight shift yesterday, the bones I sat on are all bruised ( since I don't normally ride on them) The saddle sore is now a big abcess and quite literally eye wateringly painfull to sit on but I can't shift my weight either because of the bruised bones. I persist for an hour or so and ultimately realise that the 45 mile ride to the first pit stop is going to have to be out of the saddle and that could be the end of my week. We go up to Slaidburn and then cross Bowland on the Bentham road. This is again all beautiful country especially on a sunny but misty early autumn morning and I can see it but I really cannot appreciate it. Eventually the pit stop arrives and I speak to the medic and get pain killers. Over the last 2 hours I've develope dthe various techniques for efficient out of the saddle riding on all gradients and my quads and knees are not wrecked so I decide to continue to the next pit stop at least - Glenridding.
So across to Milnthorpe and through the south lakes via Brigsteer to Windermere and over Kirkstone. Fabulous of course. A clear run down Kirkstone and whenever I dare to look at my speed it is up over 40mph, maxing at 75.4kph. Chat to parents at Glenridding and its clear I can finish today - even if the medics won't give me more painkillers, i can feel the first batch wearing off. On to Carlisle. Today they have decided to put up a couple of distance markers, one at 10 miles to go, which annoys me because my computer says 8.5. Then at the 5 miles to go marker my brain literally has a fit. I mean it. Suddenly I can feel my jaw clenching tighter and tighter and tighter, I don't think I can volunatrily clench it as hard (I've tried since) there is an overwhelming sensation of pain emanating from nowhere, I am hyperventilating. after 30 second this all subsides and I am left thing "what the fuck?" Another 30 seconds and I think I understand. The chill out starts. Endorphins. Somewhere deep inside my brian has decided that if I am am going to get through these last five mile then some pain relief is required. The nowhere pain was genuinely phantom pain created by my brain to help generate some endorphins. Awesome.

Day 3.
Set off with Chris and co. again today up past Cheadle where I grew up and we then through Hawksmoor woods - O' venue and my daily training ground for many years. This time of year it would be long runs out to Dimmingsdale in preparation for the KIMM, eating blackberries and plums on the way.
Anyhow, then up Star Bank and the Staffordshire Moorlands across to Mow Cop - too many 1 in 7s to count. Plains to Manchester but tired legs. Needed a rest at the Manchester pit stop so the bunch headed on without me. Eventually roused myself, headed out with a few other guys and trundled on to Accrington via Haslingden Moors

Day 2. Back to Tean
more English coubntryside, cornfields and villages giving way to pasture and villages somewhere through Warwickshire. Up past Coventry and on to the Chase. Ahhh smell the woods! Passing through Brocton I nod to the memory of Peter Palmer before we head on north to finish the day at Tean, which was the venue for 6th form discos - A ride down memory lane.
Today I rode with a fast bunch including Chris Godfree so was well finished when the heavens opened with torrential thurderstorms which literally made the 6 o'clock News.

London to Edinburgh. Day 1
London to Northamtonshire.
This is work for the week. RBS has organised this year and last year its own Charity ride. This year for the Prince's Trust's 40th aniversary they are trying to raise £900,000.
Weaving our way out of London via back streets and housing estates is not as awful as I was expecting, some long traffic jams to negotiate but all in all ok.
Once we escaped suburbia, somewhere around Borehamwood, we were out into the golden cornfields and cool woodlands of the Home Counties. Across the Chilterns through Silverstone village (please drive carfully) and on into Northamtonshire where we finished for the day half way between Northamton and Banbury.
All very nice, taken at my own pace and enjoyed in the warm sunny weather.